SAMLEX Inverter Installation Kit Owner’s Manual
- June 6, 2024
- SAMLEX
Table of Contents
Inverter Installation Kit
DC-1000-KIT
DC-2000-KIT
DC-2500-KIT
DC-2500-KIT-XL
DC-3500-KIT
Owner’s Manual
Please read this manual BEFORE installing your DC Inverter Installation Kit
Disclaimer of Liability
UNLESS SPECIFICALLY AGREED TO IN WRITING, SAMLEX AMERICA INC.:
- MAKES NO WARRANTY AS TO THE ACCURACY, SUFFICIENCY, OR SUITABILITY OF ANY TECHNICAL OR OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED IN ITS MANUALS OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION.
- ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR LOSSES, DAMAGES, COSTS, OR EXPENSES, WHETHER SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL, WHICH MIGHT ARISE OUT OF THE USE OF SUCH INFORMATION. THE USE OF ANY SUCH INFORMATION WILL BE ENTIRELY AT THE USERS RISK.
Samlex America reserves the right to revise this document and to periodically
make changes to the content hereof without obligation or organization of such
revisions or changes.
Copyright Notice/Notice of Copyright
Copyright © 2018 by Samlex America Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to
copy, distribute and/or modify this document is prohibited without express
written permission by Samlex America Inc.
Important Safety Precautions
Installation and wiring compliance
Installation and wiring must comply with the local and National Electrical
Codes and must be done by a CERTIFIED ELECTRICIAN.
1.1 PREVENTING FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARDS
Working with the inverter may produce arcs or sparks. Thus, the inverter
should not be used in areas where there are inflammable materials or gases
requiring ignition-protected equipment.
These areas may include spaces containing gasoline-powered machinery, fuel
tanks, battery compartments.
1.2 PRECAUTIONS WHEN WORKING WITH BATTERIES
-
Batteries contain very corrosive diluted Sulphuric Acid as an electrolyte.
Precautions should be taken to prevent contact with skin, eyes, or clothing. -
Batteries generate Hydrogen and Oxygen during charging resulting in the evolution of explosive gas mixture. Care should be taken to ventilate the battery area and follow the battery manufacturer’s recommendations.
-
Never smoke or allow a spark or flame near the batteries.
-
Use caution to reduce the risk of dropping a metal tool on the battery. It could spark or short circuit the battery or other electrical parts and could cause an explosion.
-
Remove metal items like rings, bracelets, and watches when working with batteries. Batteries can produce a short circuit current high enough to weld a ring or the like to metal causing a severe burn.
-
If you need to remove a battery, always remove the Negative terminal from the battery first.
Make sure that all the accessories are OFF so that you do not cause a spark.
General Information
2.1 DESCRIPTION
The Inverter Installation Kit consists of pair of 10 ft Red (Positive) and
Black (Negative) cables and fuse arrangement for connecting the battery to the
inverter in a safe manner.
2.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CABLES PROVIDED WITH THE KITS
We have provided the highest quality, industrial/welding grade, flexible cable
with the Kits. These cables are designed for use as motor and power lead where
flexibility
and portability are required. The inherent nature of the design makes the
cables suitable for battery cables for automotive and renewable energy
applications.
Key features of the cables provided with the Kits are as follows:
- 600V rating
- Very wide operating temperature of -50oC to 105oC
- High strand count, annealed, copper conductors for high flexibility.
- Ethylene Propylene Rubber (EPR) jacket provides high 600V insulation and resistance to abrasion, oils, acids, and heat.
2.3 FUSE PROTECTION IN THE BATTERY CIRCUIT
A battery is an unlimited source of current. Under short circuit conditions, a
battery can supply thousands of Amperes of current. If there is a short
circuit along the length of the cables that connect the battery to the
inverter, thousands of Amperes of current can flow from the battery to the
point of shorting and that section of the cable will overheat, the insulation
will melt and the cable will ultimately break. This interruption of very high
current will generate a hazardous, high temperature, high energy arc with
accompanying high-pressure waves that may cause fire, damage nearby objects,
and cause injury. To prevent the occurrence of hazardous conditions under
short circuit conditions, an appropriate fuse should be used in the battery
circuit that has the required current interrupting capacity (Termed AIC –
Ampere Interrupting Capacity).
For this purpose, a fuse with an AIC rating of 10000A at 14V / 5000A at 32V,
or higher should be used.
The following types of fuses are included in the Kit:
- 400A, 125 VDC, Model JLLN 400 manufactured by Littelfuse
-
* AIC of 20,000A - UL Class “T” rated, UL listed as per UL Standard 248-15
-
- Marine Rated Battery Fuse (MRBF Series) made by Cooper Bussmann
-
-
* Voltage rating of max 58 VDC - Current ratings of 100A (MRBF-100), 200A (MRBF-200) and 300A (MRBF-300)
- AIC of 10000A at 14VDC, 5000A at 32 VDC, and 2000A at 58 VDC
- Ignition protected as per SAE J1171
- Weather Proof (IP66)
-
CAUTION
The fuse should be placed as close to the battery’s POSITIVE terminal as
possible, preferably within 7” of the battery terminal.
2.4 CHARACTERISTICS OF FUSES AND FUSE HOLDERS PROVIDED WITH THE KITS
DC-1000-KIT, DC-2000-KIT, and DC-2500-KIT are provided with 100A, 200A, and
300A fuse respectively (Fig. 3.3). These fuses are Marine Rated Battery Fuses
(MRBF-XXX Series) made by Cooper Bussmann. The MRBF Fuse provides easy,
practical weatherproof, and economical circuit protection in tight space
constraints. The fuse is installed between the Positive Battery Terminal Stud
and the Positive Battery Cable with the help of a special Clamping Fixture.
The Clamping Fixture consists of the following:
- Clamping Fixture Bar (CFBAR), Fig. 3.4. Has a base plate for connecting to the battery stud (with a hole to accommodate battery stud of up to stud size 3/8” / M10) and a stud (size M-8) for connecting the MRBF fuse and the battery cable.
- Stainless Steel nut (thread size M8, will require ½” or 13 mm wrench for tightening), Flat Washer, and Spring Washer, Fig. 3.5.
- An Insulating Cap, Fig. 3.6. It slides over the base plate of CFBAR and is used to insulate the exposed stud and the nut of the CFBAR.
DC-3500-KIT is provided with 400A, Class-T Fuse Assembly.
2.5 SIZING OF CABLES TO REDUCE VOLTAGE DROP, HEATING, AND POWER LOSS
The flow of electric current in a conductor is opposed by the resistance of
the conductor.
The resistance of the conductor increases linearly as the length of the
conductor is increased and decreases as the cross-section (thickness) of the
conductor are increased.
The flow of current through the resistance of the conductor produces voltage
drop and power loss due to heating. Voltage drop due to resistance of the
conductor increases linearly as the current increases.
Power loss because of heating due to resistance of the conductor increases by
the square of the increase in the current – e.g. if the current increases 2
times, the heating/power loss increases 4 times. Thus, it is desirable that
thicker and shorter conductors be used to reduce the undesirable effects of
voltage drop, heating, and power loss.
The size (thickness/cross-section) of the conductors is designated by AWG
(American Wire Gauge). Please note that a smaller AWG # denotes a thicker size
of the conductor up to AWG #1. Wires thicker than AWG #1 are designated AWG
1/0, AWG #2/0, AWG #3/0, and so on. In this case, increasing AWG # X/0
denotes thicker wire.
The DC input circuit of an inverter is required to handle very large DC
currents. Cables and connectors from the battery to the inverter should be
properly sized to ensure minimum voltage drop, minimum heating, and minimum
power loss between the battery and the inverter. Thinner cables and loose
connections will result in larger voltage drop, increased loss of power and
consequent reduction inefficiency, poor inverter performance, and will produce
abnormal heating that may lead to the risk of insulation meltdown and fire.
For safety against overheating and consequent deterioration of the insulation
and possibility of fire, various Standards specify the maximum current
carrying capacity (Ampacity) of various types of cables for installation in
free air/conduit. One such Standard is ISO 10133. Apart from the consideration
of safety as explained above, reducing the voltage drop as a result of the
long-distance cable between the battery and the inverter is also important for
improving the efficiency of the DC input side of the inverter system. A longer
distance between the battery and the cable will require a thicker cable.
Normally, the thickness of the cable should be such that the voltage drop from
the battery terminal to the inverter is as low as possible, preferably up to a
maximum of around 5%.
The formula used for calculating the maximum % voltage drop on the DC input
of the inverter:
Percentage Voltage Drop =
NOTE:
For purposes of the calculation of % voltage drop in the formula above based
on-resistance per unit length, the length of the cable has been taken as twice
the cable routing length between the battery and the inverter to include the
overall length of the Positive and Negative cables (e.g. if the distance
between the battery and the inverter is taken as 3 ft, the length of the cable
has been taken as 6 ft for calculation purposes.)
Inverters are designed to operate normally within a specified lower and upper
input voltage range. The lower operating voltage limit of inverters is
normally 10V, 20V, and 40V for 12V, 24V, and 48V battery systems respectively.
When this limiting voltage is seen at the input terminal of the inverter, it
will shut down due to low input voltage protection. Thus, if there is an
excessive voltage drop in the input connection between the battery and the
inverter due to thinner cable / longer distance / larger current, the inverter
will shut down even if the battery is fully charged.
As the distance between the battery and the inverter may vary depending upon
the user requirement, 10 ft or 15 ft length of cable is provided in the
Inverter Installation Kits for convenience. Refer to specifications given in
Tables 4.1 & 4.2 under Section 4.
Cut off the extra length of cable if the distance between the battery and the
inverter is considerably less than the standard length of 10 ft/ 15 ft cable
that has been provided.
2.6 HARDWARE SUPPLIED WITH EACH KIT
Each kit is supplied with a set of hardware as shown in Table 2.1
TABLE 2.1 HARDWARE SUPPLIED WITH EACH KIT
Description| Quantity
Cable Ties, 11.5” long| 6
Cable Clamps, ½” diameter| 6
Pan Head Screws, #8 x 3/4”, Phillips Drive| 6
2.7 TOOLS REQUIRED
- Wire Cutting Tool and Wire Stripper (for DC-3500-KIT)
- ½” Wrench and 5/16” Allen Key (for Samlex DC-3500-KIT)
- Appropriate screwdriver or wrench depending on the DC input terminal of your inverter.
- Crimping tool and heat shrink tubing (if ring terminal for the inverter end is being changed to fit DC input terminals of the inverter).
Installation Instructions
3.1 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS:
DC-1000-KIT, DC-2000-KIT, DC-2500-KIT AND DC-2500-KIT-XL
Preparing Cable Termination for Inverter End
- The cables provided in the kits have copper ring terminals on both ends with holes to fit 3/8” stud
- The ring terminal may not fit the DC input terminal on the inverter and may need to be reshaped/replaced with cable lugs provided with the inverter.
- Some inverters require Pin Type of terminal lugs to fit DC input connectors with a cylindrical hole and set screw. As the terminal lug fitted on the cable is made of copper which is malleable, it can be beaten with a hammer to form a pin shape of the required diameter to fit the cylindrical hole.
- It may be necessary to remove the cable lug and crimp the new lug provided with the inverter.
A. Identify the Positive & Negative cables
- Positive cable: Red color with terminal lugs at each end as in Fig. 3.1.
- Negative cable: Black color with terminal lugs at each end as in Fig. 3.2.
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B. Connect one end of the Positive cable to the Positive terminal of the inverter (usually Red in color). The terminal lug may need to be shaped/replaced to fit the inverter terminal (see details above).
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C. Identify the components of the Fuse Assembly.
Refer to Figures 3.3 to 3.6.
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D. Place the MRBF fuse onto the stud provided on the CFBAR. See Fig.3.7.
E. Next, place the cable lug (crimped to the free end of the Positive
cable) onto the CFBAR stud so that it sits over the fuse MRBF. See Fig. 3.8.
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F. Next, attach the flat washer, the spring washer, and the M-8 nut onto the CFBAR stud and tighten the nut with a ½” wrench. See Fig. 3.9.
G. Slide the Insulating Cap onto the rectangular strip of the CFBAR and
then place the hood portion over the exposed portion of the stud of the CFBAR.
See Figures 3.10 and 3.11.
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H. Bolt the CFBAR to the Positive terminal stud of the Battery usually denoted by the ‘+’ sign as shown in Fig. 3.12.
I. Connect one end of the Negative cable to the Negative terminal of the
inverter (usually Black in color). The terminal lug may need to be
reshaped/replaced to fit the inverter terminal (see details above).
J. Connect the other end of the negative cable to the battery Negative
terminal stud, usually denoted by the ‘-’ sign.
K. Please ensure that all the connections are tight.
3.2 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS:
DC-3500-KIT
A. Identify the Positive & Negative Cables:
- Positive cable: Red color with terminal lugs at each end as in Fig. 3.13.
- Negative cable: Black color with terminal lugs at each end as in Fig. 3.14.
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B. The Class T Fuse Assembly (Fig. 3.15) consists of the following
components assembled as one unit:
Class T Fuse – Fig. 3.16: This is rated at 125V, 400A. It is UL Class “T”
rated and UL listed as per UL Standard 248-15. It has an AIC (Ampere
Interrupting Capacity) of 20,000A
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Fuse Holder – Fig. 3.17: This consists of a fiberglass insulated base with studs/bolts (5/16” diameter, 18 Threads Per Inch) and nuts (requires ½” size wrench) for holding the fuse. The two terminals for cable entry are designed for #4/0 cable (Hole size is 0.6” / 15.5 mm). 5 /16”, hexagonal headed socket cap screws (requires Allen Key size 5 /16”) are used to clamp the cable ends.
Snap-on cover: Made of clear polycarbonate and provides touch safety.
C. The fuse should normally be installed within 7 inches of the Positive
Terminal of the battery. Cut the Positive cable based on the desired location
of the Class “T” Fuse Assembly using an appropriate wire cutter. Strip 1.05”
of the insulation at the cut ends using a suitable wire stripper. Please
ensure that the innermost layer of the tape separator is completely removed.
See Fig. 3.18.
D. Insert the bare ends of the cable into the hole for the cable entry
and tighten the screw-down terminals firmly. Fix the clear polycarbonate snap-
on cover for touch safety. See Fig. 3.19.
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NOTES FOR FIG 3.17 and 3.19:
The diameter of the hole in the screw-down terminal for the cable entry is
0.6” and is just big enough for the diameter of the bare AWG #4/0 stranded
cable. The ends of the strands towards the cut face of the cable may get bent,
frayed, or spread outwards during cutting causing the diameter of the cable
near the cut face to increase slightly.
The strands towards the cut face need to be pressed together closely to reduce
the diameter near the cut face to less than 0.6”. To keep the strands towards
the cut face pressed together for easier entry into the terminal for cable
entry, tightly wrap insulation tape around 0.2” to 0.3” from the cut face. If
required, straighten and compress the bent, rayed, or spread-out ends to
reduce the diameter to the minimum.
Insert the leading 0.2” to 0.3” bare portion into the hole and remove the
insulating tape to insert the bare end of the cable fully.
Please ensure that all the strands get inserted into the hole and that no
strand(s) is left forced out of the hole.
E. Connect the terminal lug of the shorter section of the cut Positive
cable to the Positive terminal of the Battery, usually denoted by the ‘+’ sign
(see Fig. 3.20).
F. Connect the terminal lug of the longer section of the cut Positive
cable to the Positive terminal of the inverter (usually Red in color). The
terminal lug may need to be reshaped/replaced to fit the inverter terminal
(see details above).
G. Connect one end of the Negative cable to the Negative terminal of the
inverter (usually Black in color). The terminal lug may need to be
reshaped/replaced to fit the inverter terminal (see details above).
H. Connect the other end of the negative cable to the battery Negative
terminal, usually denoted by the ‘-’ sign. When the lug of the Negative cable
first makes contact with the Negative terminal of the battery, a spark may be
observed. This is normal. This spark occurs because of the initial charging
current of the input side capacitors inside the inverter.
I. Ensure that all the connections are tight.
Specifications
4.1 SPECIFICATIONS
TABLE 4.1 SPECIFICATIONS FOR KITS WITH 10 FT CABLE LENGTH AND UP TO 3% VOLTAGE DROP
Model No. of Inverter Installation Kit (1)| Cable Size
(Resistance
in Ohm/ft) (2)| Cable Lenght(s) (3)| Fuse Size (4)|
The recommended size of Inverter for up to 3% Voltage Drop
Power range of 12VDC Inverter (5)| Power range of 24VDC
Inverter (6)|
Power Range of 48VDC Inverter (7)
DC-1000-KIT| AWG #4 (0.00025 Ohm/ft)| 2 x 10ft| 100A| 600W to
800W| 600W to
1900W| Up to
4500W
DC-2000-KIT| AWG #2 (0.00016 Ohm/ft)| 2 x 10ft| 200A| 1000W to
1200W| 2000W to
3000W| Up to
8500W
DC-2500-KIT| AWG #2/0 (0.000077 Ohm/ft)| 2 x 10ft| 300A| 1500W to
2000W| 4000W to
6000W| Up to
13000W
DC-3500-KIT| AWG #4/0
(0.00005 Ohm/ft)
| 2 x 10ft| 400A| 2500W to
3000W| 6,500W to
8000W| Up to
16000W
TABLE 4.2 SPECIFICATIONS FOR KITS WITH 15 FT CABLE LENGTH AND UP TO 5% VOLTAGE DROP
Model No. of Inverter Installation Kit (1)
|
Cable Size (Resistance in Ohm/ft) (2)
|
Cable Lenght(s) (3)
|
Fuse Size (4)
|
The recommended size of Inverter for up to 5% voltage drop
Power range of 12VDC Inverter (5)| Power range of 24VDC Inverter (6)|
Power Range of
48VDC Inverter (7)
DC-2500-KIT-XL| AWG #2/0
(0.00007 Ohm/ft)| 2 x 15ft| 300A| 1500W to
000W| 4000W to
6000W| Up to
13000W
NOTES FOR TABLES 4.1 & 4.2:
a) Specifications are subject to change without notice
b) Cable sizes (Column 2) are indicated in AWG (American Wire Gauge).
Specifications:
(i) Red Positive, Black Negative, each 10 ft length, (ii) 600V, -50°C to
105°C, (iii) Stranded conductors with crimped Ring Terminals on either end:
Hole diameter 0.41” for 3/8” stud
c) Ampacity of cable conductors (Column 2) has been based on: (i) ISO
Standard 10133, (ii) Conductor temperature rating of 105°C / 221°F, (iii)
Ambient temperature of 30°C / 86°F and (iv) Cable routed in free air (not in
conduit)
d) Ampacity of the cable conductors (Column 2) is more than the Ampere
rating of the associated fuse (Column 4)
e) Power ranges of Inverters/ (Columns 5, 6, 7) are based on the
following % voltage drops:
(i) Table 4.1: Up to 3% voltage drop for cable routing length of 10 ft
from the Inverter to the Battery at DC Input Current = the rated Ampere
Capacity of the Fuse (Column 4)
(ii) Table 4.2: Up to 5% voltage drop for cable routing length of 15 ft
from the Inverter to the Battery at DC Input Current = the rated Ampere
The capacity of the Fuse (Column 4)
f) Use the formula given under Section 2.5 to calculate the actual %
voltage drop on the DC input side of the inverter at the desired DC input
current of the Inverter
Warranty
2 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY
Samlex Inverter Installation Kits manufactured by Samlex America Inc. (the
“Warrantor“) are warranted to be free from defects in workmanship and
materials under normal use
and service. The warranty period is 2 years for the United States and Canada
and is in effect from the date of purchase by the user (the “Purchaser“).
Warranty outside of the United States and Canada is limited to 6 months. For a
warranty claim, the Purchaser should contact the place of purchase to obtain a
Return Authorization Number.
The defective part or unit should be returned at the Purchaser’s expense to
the authorized location. A written statement describing the nature of the
defect, the date of purchase, the place of purchase, and the Purchaser’s name,
address, and telephone number should also be included.
If upon the Warrantor’s examination, the defect proves to be the result of
defective material or workmanship, the equipment will be repaired or replaced
at the Warrantor’s option without charge and returned to the Purchaser at the
Warrantor’s expense.
(The contiguous US and Canada only)
No refund of the purchase price will be granted to the Purchaser unless the
Warrantor is unable to remedy the defect after having a reasonable number of
opportunities to do
so. Warranty service shall be performed only by the Warrantor. Any attempt to
remedy the defect by anyone other than the Warrantor shall render this
warranty void. There
shall be no warranty for defects or damages caused by faulty installation or
hook-up, abuse or misuse of the equipment including exposure to excessive
heat, salt or fresh water spray, or water immersion.
No other express warranty is hereby given and there are no warranties which
extend beyond those described herein. This warranty is expressly in lieu of
any other expressed or implied warranties, including any implied warranty of
merchantability, fitness for the ordinary purposes for which such goods are
used, or fitness for a particular purpose, or any other obligations on the
part of the Warrantor or its employees and representatives.
There shall be no responsibility or liability whatsoever on the part of the
Warrantor or its employees and representatives for injury to any persons, or
damage to person or persons, or damage to property, or loss of income or
profit, or any other consequential or resulting damage which may be claimed to
have been incurred through the use or sale of the equipment, including any
possible failure of malfunction of the equipment, or part thereof. The
Warrantor assumes no liability for incidental or consequential damages of any
kind.
Samlex America Inc. (the “Warrantor”)
www.samlexamerica.com
Notes
Contact Information
Toll-Free Numbers
Ph: 1 800 561 5885
Fax: 1 888 814 5210
Local Numbers
Ph: 604 525 3836
Fax: 604 525 5221
Website
www.samlexamerica.com
USA Shipping Warehouses
Kent, WA
Plymouth, MI
Canadian Shipping Warehouse
Richmond, BC
Email purchase orders to
orders@samlexamerica.com
11013-DC-1000-2000-2500-2500XL-3500-KIT-1021